1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to an electrical receptacle for terminating to a cable having both power and signal conductors and means interconnectable to a mating plug, and more particularly to a receptacle for use with an improved premise electrical distribution system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Buildings, such as office buildings, factories, and residences have become increasingly characterized by the presence of numerous separate electrical distribution systems. The distribution of power within buildings has remained substantially unchanged for a long period of time. This is especially true for electrical power distribution in residences. However, a large number of other electrical distribution systems have increasingly been employed within buildings. For example, data communications systems, telecommunications systems, audio visual communications systems, and other power distribution systems are all present within a typical residence. However, all of these electrical distribution systems remain separate. Little, if any, attempt has been made to combine the distribution of all of these signals into one system and to provide a common outlet or receptacle.
The preferred embodiment of the invention depicted herein comprises a receptacle which can be used to simultaneously establish electrical contact with power conductors, data signal conductors, and telecommunication signal conductors. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, all of these conductors are incorporated into a single flat cable and a substantially simultaneous insulation displacement contact can be established with all of the conductors.
There have been numerous attempts to use an insulation displacement principle to establish contact between a conventional duplex receptacle or a conventional switch and the conductors in a conventional three wire power cable. Examples of such insulation displacement duplex receptacles are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,739, 3,910,672, 3,935,637, 4,075,758 and 4,274,696. Each of these prior art devices permit an interconnection to be made simultaneously with the hot, ground and neutral wires in a three conductor cable. Each of these prior art devices generally requires that the outer insulation surrounding the three wire cable must first be severed or at least partially removed and laterally deployed. Thereafter, front and rear housing elements are brought together. Slots in terminals located in one of the two housing members engage opposite sides of each wire establishing an insulation displacement type interconnection to each wire.
Connectors suitable for use in terminating a plurality of smaller, signal conductors in a flat cable include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,027,941, 4,068,912, 4,359,257, and 4,448,473. U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,883 discloses a terminal for terminating wires of different sizes.
None of these references disclose a receptacle in which power and signal conductors are simultaneously terminated to a receptacle in an integrated wiring system.